This invention relates to method and apparatus for aseptic removal and disposal of a drainage tube or the like that is implanted in a human body.
With the spread of the HIV virus and other contagious diseases that are readily carried by body fluids, the protection of health care workers treating potentially infected patients has become of paramount concern. In many situations the health care worker is unaware of whether a particular patient is infected with one of these highly contagious diseases. The utmost of care must therefor be exercised when treating any patient. As is well known, a good deal of blood and other body fluids are typically broadcast when implanted body drains, catheters or the like are removed from a patient. The sanitary removal and disposal of chest drains, in particular, can be extremely difficult because of the amount of body fluid that is usually present at the drainage site.
Drapes are sometimes used during certain medical and surgical procedures to provide a clean field for carrying out the procedure. The drape is typically used to cover a portion of the patient's body around the site and an opening is formed immediately over the site to provide access thereto. The non-sterile drape usually contains one or more absorbent layers so that any fluids escaping from the site are trapped in the layer and the soiled drape is disposed of by depositing it in a suitable infectious waste container. These drapes, however, are not readily adapted for use in protecting health care workers when removing implanted body tubes. Buttaravoli, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,324,237, describes a drape-like device that is adapted to be used as a dressing and a means of securing a catheter at the wound or exit site. The drape, however, offers no protection to the health care worker, nor does it help in the sanitary disposal of the catheter.